I am Iron Man

by Colin Cook

  I just know that right now this is the decision I feel I want to make."

  Mordin was with a smile. "I see. Found more information, from information broker no less? Did not possibly debate that would be a ruse? Try and push away from

  Shepard? Distract you, allow her more access?"

  Tali shook her head almost immediately. "No." Tali then thought, "Well, okay a little." However, shrugging it off. She told Mordin. "If Liara wants to play this game that way?

  I can still play pretty mean. Still, what she said made some sense. I've been so worried about my old feelings from long ago. After all, he's a dashing commander, a hero

  that saved me more than I can count on both hands." Which, as she looked it was a sour realization she didn't have that many fingers. Still, she smiled on that idea. "He

  earned my admiration and my conviction for this mission yet really, did he ever earn my true affection?"

  Looking back to Mordin. Tali shook her head no. She knew that now. Tali understood a little more thanks to Liara. "Maybe one day he will.. Perhaps, some day later I'll

  want him again. Right now? I just don't. I want him well yeah, but… I don't…" She lowered her head. "I don't…"

  A slight grin the Salarian raised his brow a little. "Need?" Mordin's overconfidence earned him a slight glower of anger. "I was only adding into words what I assumed you-."

  "I know." Tali glared him but mostly in jest, her slacking of her shoulders a sign she was not serious. "Still, I could shoot you in the knee and claim it was an accident."

  Mordin raised his hands and gave a light nod. "Fair enough Tali. I agree."

  Legion watching this exchange was complexed. Still, if this was what Tali desired? Then his work here was completed. Or lack there of? In any case he stood, asking, "If

  we are no longer needed. Will you require our continued participation? We have no desire to be here within these confides of organic stimulation exposure."

  Tali seemed to giggle. The Geth looked at her confused, a bit set off. Tali turned up saying, "Sorry Legion." She shook her head. "I just find it funny you came all this way

  just to help me? You didn't even want to try and study organics or something?"

  Legion's eye slowly scanned her. Tali looked at him at first smiling, feeling he was joking. Then it rather swiftly clicked and she lowered her eyes. He really did just come to

  help her. She forgot she even dragged the poor Geth all the way here. "We came to help Tali'zorah. Nothing more."

  Tali, looked up again. She smiled to this. "You still keep calling me that. I told you my name is Tali."

  Legion, looked down and then to Mordin. "Doctor Mordin Solus also calls you Tali'zorah."

  To that, Mordin mused as he watched them in utter fascination. "Well, yes. However I am not her dearest friend. I find speaking to her more formally." To that, he

  motioned to Legion. "You are her closer friend, a good friend. One she confides in. I'm just her physician I do not get that special treatment."

  Legion turned from the doctor to Tali. She even seemed to understand this. Just nodding. To that, Legion showed his brow bending smoothly, calmed. "We see. That is,

  understandable. As well a high honor is it not?"

  Tali shook her head saying, "The highest I can offer. Least, I think that I can offer you." She stood up, smacking her head, "Oh! I'm such a bosh'tet!" Looking back she

  saw Garrus tapping his glass alone, desperate even. "I forgot about Garrus. I should go talk to him." Walking, she waved back, "Listen! Thanks for everything Legion! Stick

  around and I'll try and talk to you later, okay?" She had that smile now as she went off. Legion, noted her expression. She had this smile many times when she was no

  longer stressed or pressured. To this, he sat on that.

  Mordin looked to the Geth smirking a little. He had this look of self knowing. Mordin seemed to be on his own quest for knowledge. Perhaps, more a personal attempt to

  understand or comprehend something. A secret, special something.

  Finally, Legion turned to him and began to skim his features. "Mordin?" The Salarian gave a nod to the Geth. "What is it that causes us to seek Tali's company?"

  "Ah." To that, Mordin took his glass and raised it. "I do not know. However, if it is your friendship or something more? I seek to learn. To that may we both find

  consensus."

  Legion turned down eye spinning and clicking shut. Looking back he gave a hearty nod. "Affirmative."

  The Salarian sipped his drink. A look at the Geth of great intrigue. As well to the Quarian across the room now talking to Garrus. He was well, well aware what he believed.

  Yet the possibilities were astounding. Living a short life the goal of many Salarians is to see and experience things few others ever do. If what he believed was happening in

  fact is? Then by all means this was something he can live with and die happily knowing he was right there a part to. Small, but efficiently an important part. He believed

  when the first party of this odd occurrence became aware, he may be the one they saw. Or so that was his intent and deeply what he wished. This could be one major

  breaking point in a matter he also was very invested in.

  For now? He was just an onlooker. Which honestly was more entertaining.

  Legion asked the doctor suddenly, "Dr. Mordin? Do you not have other matters to attend to?"

  Mordin shook his head no. "Not at this time Legion. I am actually in midst of a study which is my personal pass time. One I'm most invested in."

  Legion looked to him, head tilted a slight bit. "What is this study on?"

  Mordin smiled before waving his hand idly by his fingers around the glass, "Oh, nothing of importance. Is not fully able to express. Must find more data. Need more

  information. Within time, will know enough result information to make proper analysis and then assumptions, hypothesis and perhaps tests in private." He smiled in his

  glass, to his lips. A word to his own he murmured, "Safer alone. Will not disrupt courtships."

  Legion blinked to the doctor. Then he sat still. Head looking ahead of himself. Just at the wall. Though a glance followed to Tali once, or twice. The Geth tried to begin a few

  consensus. To those, he began to speak and procure with the Geth. At most, he delve into old Quarian logs of Consensus. So many he mostly began to form a new

  Consensus. It continued these idle transmissions for some time.

  Garrus, laughed while he adds, "Then I told her, "Listen I'm not exactly the right officer for this. Asari don't do it for me even when they do what you're doing." And she

  just called me a racist, hiked her skirt down and walked with me to C-sec. Where my commanding officer told me he'd interrogate her in private." Leaning on the bar,

  Garrus shook his head. "Incidentally, my commander officer got the worst case of Scale-itch I ever did see… sometimes I wonder if maybe there was a connection to the

  two?"

  The way he made it sound? Tali seemed to get a real kick out of his enthusiasm. Even if his story was a wee-bit boring. However, that didn't mean she was bored. "Hehe,

  Garrus. You know you've got to be the worst storyteller there is. Or maybe the best? Because honestly, that somehow kept me awake. While I'm getting pretty tired."

  She looked to her Omni-tool, "How long have we…" When she saw, her eyes gawk. Keelah? "Garrus! It's been over three and a half hours!"

  The Turian was with a smile. "Really? Maybe you just like my company?" He shrugged, "I have to admit. I rather like you-." Tali, was getting up looking around. He blinked

  a bit. "Uh, something the matter?" He thought back. A frown and he said, "Shepard left a while back. I think he had things to do on the Normandy."

  Tali looked around to Garrus saying, "No it isn't that I just…" She looked to the seat she left. There, sat Legion. Still where she left him. She was shocked. Tali turned

  saying to Garrus, "L
isten I promised Legion I'd see him before I left back to the ship. I really didn't mean to keep him this long." A nod, she waved walking off, "Thanks for

  the talk Garrus! It's good to unwind!"

  Garrus watched her leave. A slight frown. He smiled falsely to the leave, and waved her off. "Hey! What are friends for?"

  A light laugh and the Turian turned about grabbing his drink downing it hard. He shook, visibly. Then coughed under his grunt. "Ahh… that puts some fire in the old engines."

  Looking up he wiggled his glass, "Barkeep, another?"

  The human shrugged and walked over saying, "Hey, for the guy who bored his girl into leaving with a machine? Sure."

  Garrus narrowed his eyes, suddenly saying with a slight snarl. "Firstly, Tali isn't my 'girl' she's my friend. Secondly, I've got a sniper rifle an-."

  "Right!" The man, walked off. "That works for me pal!"

  Garrus smiled thinking about how sometimes those old Shepard moments come in handy. Turning over his shoulder though he saw Tali with Legion. Huh… they were

  getting pretty close lately. Looking up though he thought about that. Then smiled shaking his head, going to his drinks. Nah, just his imagination. Now if this were Tali and

  Shepard? Then he'd have a problem. Hmph, he can't even think of competing with the Commander anymore. It was bad enough his good looks got blasted to hell.

  "Legion!" Tali stood there, shaking her head. Pressing her hands into her back along her tailbone. "I'm so sorry! I forgot and lost track of time, and I was getting tired after

  so long. Yet I just didn't know how to get out of that conversation and when I realized what time it was… well, you know."

  Legion had turned to her. Immediately as she closed in on his proximity. His brow furled upward and he nods with acknowledgment. Standing, he asks, "Are you prepared

  to retire for the night Tali?"

  She blinked. Tali shifted her weight, looking around herself like she's about to get doused in some kind of ritualistic pig blood. "So… you're not angry with me?"

  "We, are Geth. We do not have such emotions."

  This made Tali somewhat show relief. However on another level it made her question things. A lot of things. "Well okay but when you were with the Geth Colossus, and

  times before mentioning of the Geth being used? I… I thought I saw you act like you were angry."

  Legion looked down a little. Hmm, he turned up and told, "We acted on previous data from other conversations with organics and near organics. We assimilated those

  behaviors. We do not feel emotions."

  Again, it was not in any way helping her feel better. She wished he'd been a little angry. It would have shown her something. That made Tali wonder why she wanted him

  to care? For whatever reason. She smiled back and said, "I'm still sorry for making you wait."

  "Understood. However, Tali'zor-." He stopped, and corrected. "Tali should understand that we were willing to wait for her return at any time."

  Tali looked back to him asking, "Why though? Would you wait for me so long?"

  Legion went to answer. However, his eye blinked twice, and flaps shift uneasily. Now, he told her, "We do not know."

  There is something odd about Legion. Tali knew that. Yet this time, it was his response. "Wait, you don't know? Don't you mean that you do not have enough data?"

  "No. We have sufficient data. However, the data is not put to consensus." He stood there, shifting his hands. "We have been upon this consensus while waiting the second

  hour of your absence. We debated if we should leave and wait on the Normandy, or contact you. However, consensus met was to await your return as an alternative

  brought on by one of my leading programs. It felt it was intrusive to intervene in conversation with Garrus Vakarian. As well not in our interest to leave you here if some

  way you may need our assistance. For this reason all programs shifted to the third option, consensus was overruled."

  Tali seemed to feel a little flattered. Really, his thoughts turned so fast to her? To what she needed? She blushed even. To which, she rubbed her hands. "I… thank you

  Legion. I don't know what to say."

  "We do not need you to say anything. Your company is most beneficial to us." She looked up, wondering why? He somehow knew. "We do not have en-."

  "I get it." She smiled though. A nod and Tali asked, "Shall we get back to the ship?"

  "Yes."

  The two left this VIP lounge. The Normandy, awaits. As well the mission yet to be seen.

  Deep Space. Far out of the reach of common trade routes. The ship was quiet. It was desolate. Walls clean, pale white. Lights a great blare glow. The team of seven

  heavily armed Batarians rushed the halls. The one in the front wore his shields and seemed to be the leader. He was a Blue Suns man, as were his men. All Batarians

  though and all seemed worked up.

  The leader spoke out, as they meet to the next door. "We've been going this long not one other person." He turned back, "You sure this place is the right ship Gamly?"

  Gamly, shook his head as he began to bypass the door. "I'm positive Commander. This is the ship." Looking up, he told him. "Just probably not aware they were boarded.

  We checked all the security. The ship wasn't even moving. No thrusters and power was all offline. They probably were reserving energy. Since they all wear suits they don't

  need to go full life support, right?"

  The Commander narrowed his four eyes. Standing off the wall he turned down the hall. He raised his rifle out, "Shit! I saw something!" Looking down him and his men

  looked. The hall was bright, empty. The Commander snarled, "I know I saw something."

  "Was it a Quarian?" Another soldier asked.

  The Commander frowned, "No… it, it looked like…" he shook his head. "Just speed this up."

  "What did it look like Comm-."

  The Commander snapped back, "None your damn business! Just hurry up!"

  The door finally opened. They enter, swiftly. Then as they were inside. The lights turn out. They were closed inside soon after. It was not long before the lights flicker, and

  shift. Flickering with a light, buzzing hum. Turning around the team was dismayed and horrified at the sight. They were in a cafeteria, the tables turned over and food

  tossed. There were dishes and shattered plates about everywhere. The walls, streaked with blood and more of the Quarians who were no where to be seen. This place did

  not look clean and bright like the rest of the ship. In fact it looked dark and foreboding. Especially with the sometimes flickering lights.

  Turning the team were even more on edge as the 'door' they entered was gone. A wall was all that was left. They turn seeing the only door was across the room. The

  Commander snapped, "Shit! What the hell? Gamly?"

  Gamly shook his head. "I-I didn't move! This isn't right Commander!" They started shifting forward. Slowly, armaments up and ready. There was something wrong.

  The Commander snapped, "Damn it! Gamly! Door! Now!" The tech ran, dropped and began to work. The Commander got on his comm. "Truk! Truk, this is Commander

  Ozero! We're getting off this ship! You have the engines primed and ready for us."

  Gamly worked hard, fast to bypass the door again. However, he turned as there was just static. He watched as the Commander tapped his receiver. The line was dead?

  What happened… no, he must be imagining it. The Commander pulled off his receiver and tried another station, reading or something.

  After a while the static ended. The Commander put it to his ear shouting, "Truk! You bastard, is tha-."

  "REAAAAAAAAARGH!"

  The noise was loud, echoing the metal room. The static mixed with it made it unimaginably unreal. Ozero threw off the receiver as it made his ear pop. Screaming a curse.

  His men watched the receiver, spark and flash. Then from the hearing end something began to bubble out
slowly and surely. The Batarians watch knowing it… was…

  Commander Ozero got on a knee, snarling. "The hell is that… blood?" He twitched his left two eyes, "Batarian Blood?"

  Gamly watched with eyes wide. He rushed, faster… faster! The door was just about to be cracked!

  The door opened suddenly. Outside, darkness. Absolute darkness. The halls had no light. There was nothing! "Comman-." Then, hands. Many hands. They latch and grab

  Gamly. They pull him into the darkness. The other Batarians turn only to hear his screams. They heard the Commander call out to fire next. They do. The fire goes out and

  sprays the darkness. It shoots and shoots and shoots. The noises of metal being smashed with hot rounds echoed. Then the silence. They all pant and breathe fearfully

  shaking the less skilled.

  The lights in the hall flicker. Gamly is laying bloody and blown apart by gunfire. Their gunfire. The Commander clenched his rifle shouting, "What the hell is going on!"

  From nowhere. A voice spoke. IT spoke beyond voice but was, still spoken.

  "Welcome."

  The Commander screamed, as he fired. His men fire too. There was movement to the left, they turn. Some caught in the crossfire of their own team. Movement to the

  right, more crossfire. The rounds bound and blast the walls. There was fear and terror, and wide fire. The gunfire continued as the men stumble or bleed many having

  more and more wounds. Then the Commander was left with one of his privates. He was panting, gasping for air as his man held his belly. Then he too fell over.

  Commander Ozero shook as he slowly backed up into a corner. There he shivered, and shook. There was a light laughter all around him. The dark, empty ship. It began to

  laugh at him. It was laughing at him, and his men. His failure… "Ahh…. Who…. What are you….?"

  "Give into your doubt Commander. It's so much easier being here. No more pain. No more fear. There is no more expectations from those around you. It will be

  rewarding. Commander. Just give in."

  The Commander looked down beaten and broken. Hand shaking as he grabbed his pistol. He closed his eyes, tears streaming down his eyes. The crew was gone. He

  failed. He was worthless, he meant nothing. HE was a failure, he deserved this.